Table for rolling mills



ch 22, 1935. E. DREXLER 2,018,255

TABLE FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed June 23, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l &N

INVENTOR m ATTORNEY DREXLER Oct. 22. 1935.

TABLE FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed June 25, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENT OR E. DREXLER TABLE FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed June 25, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENT OR Oct. 22, 1.935. E. DREXLER E FOR ROLLING MILLS 2&18255 TABL Filed June 25, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 L l J L C L .LL

IN VENT OR Oct. 22, 1935. E. DREXLER TABLE FOR ROLLING MILLS Filed June 25, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I ILI l l I I l l l l I I I II IN VENT OR ATTORNEY Patented Get. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLE FOR ROLLING MILLS Ernest Drexler, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application June 23, 1932, Serial No. 618,850

3 Claims. (01. -47) This invention, described and claimed in part in my prior patent, No. 2,001,129 of May 14, 1935 relates to tables for rolling mills of any of the known types requiring entry or delivery tables for the purpose of reversing the direction of travel of the material tore-enter the same between the working rolls of the mill when it is desired, for example, to further reduce the thickness of the material or to obtain a smoother finish or greater hardness thereof.

A rolling mill table usually comprises a series of rollers journaled for rotation and driven either by miter gears and line shafts, worms and worm wheels, chains and sprockets, cranks and connecting rods, or by individual coupled motors.

In all cases it is necessary to reverse the direction of rotation of the roller driving means when a change in the direction of travel of the material is desired. This requires time, and as a consequence, if frequent reversals are effected, the output of the mill is considerably diminished. In addition, there is the inherent disadvantage of the table mechanism being subjected to stresses and strains and excessive wear due to the starting, stopping and reversing of the direction of rotation of the rollers. Especially is this true in respect to the reversible electric motors and related gear reduction units which comprise the most common means of driving the rollers, motors of special and expensive construction being required to Withstand frequent reversals without overheating. Furthermore, the common practice heretofore has been to pivot the tables at their ends remote from the rolls and to tiltthe ends of the tables nearer the rolls upwardly so that reversal of the direction of rotation of the rolls is eifective to convey the material over the rolls for re-entry between the same. This, however, has the disadvantage, especially in the case of the rolling of light weight, smooth surfaced materials, that considerable slippage between the material and the conveyor rollers occurs, the material, due to insufficient traction and under the influence of gravity tending to slide down the inclined table away from the mill rolls instead of being conveyed over the same. Consequently, the services of an attendant stationed at the table topush the material upwardly over the table With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section through one of the tables showing the vertically movable set of rollers in an elevated position.

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view through the 25 clutch device for efifecting elevation and permitting lowering of the movable sets of rollers of the tables.

Figure '7 is a top plan view illustrating chain conveyor elements which may be used in lieu of 30 the rollers illustrated in Figures 1 to 5; and

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 7 and showing by dotted lines the vertically movable chain conveyor in elevated position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, first to the practical embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, A designates, generally, the usual housing of a sheet or plate hot mill having journaled therein the usual super-imposed rolls 0 a, a. In the present instance separate conveyor tables constructed in accordance with the invention and designated generally as B, B are illustrated as being disposed, one at the entering side and the other at the delivery side of the rolls, for respectively conveying the sheets or other material to and from the rolls. This is a preferred arrangement inasmuch as the tables thus arranged are adapted for cooperation with each other to effect repeated passes of the material between the rolls. However, the respective tables are entirely separate and distinct from each other and either may be used to the exclusion of the other.

Moreover, the tables are, or may be, 55

duplicates of each other and therefore a description of one will suffice for both.

Accordingly, and selecting for purposes of this description the table B disposed at the entering side of the mill rolls a, it will be observed that said table is inclusive of a frame or carriage l provided with grooved supporting wheels resting on track rails |2 of inverted V-shaped section whereby the carriage is supported and guided for movement bodily towards and away from the rolls a.

The carriage I0 is composed of a pair of side rails |3 connected together by transverse members l4 and constitutes a carrier for a set of transverse rollers |5 which are suitably journaled at their ends in said side rails. All of the rollers l5 are of the same diameter and, as shown, they are disposed in a common horizontal plane to properly support and convey a sheet of material resting thereon. They are to be driven in unison in any suitable or desired manner, as, for example, by means of an electric motor individual to each roller and contained therein as shown, for instance, in my Patent 1,889,174 and as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4 of the drawings. During operation of the table the carriage I0 is to be held against movement along the track rails |2. Accordingly, as illustrated in Figure 4 a simple yet effective means of accomplishing this purpose comprises clamp bolts l6 depending from the axle I! of a pair of the wheels H or from one of the cross members for clamping engagement with portions of the trackrails I2.

In addition to the carriage ID with its rollers l5 the table includes a vertically movable frame It! composed of a pair of side rails l9 connected together by cross members 20 and carrying, as in the case of the carriage ID, a set of transverse rollers 2|, the side rails IQ of said frame l8 being disposed outwardly of the side rails |3 of the carriage I0 and having the ends of the rollers 7 2| journaled therein.

As in the case of the rollers |5 of the carriage Hi, the rollers 2| of the frame I 8 allare of the same diameter and are driven in any suitable manner as, for example, by means of individual motors mounted therein.

The rollers l5 of the carriage Hi all rotate in a direction to advance sheets or other material disposed thereon towards the rolls a, while the rollers 2| of the frame 3 all rotate in the opposite direction. During the normal operation of the mill the rollers 2| are disposed suitably below the rollers l5 so that the sheets or other ma-.

terial rest upon and are moved only by the latter rollers. On the other hand, when it is desired to reverse the direction of travel of the material, the frame I B is elevated to dispose the rollers 2| thereof above the rollers l5 so that only the rollers 2| are effective to move the material.

The means mounting the frame |8 for vertical movement comprises a base 22 suitably mounted in a fixed position below the track rails l2 and having suitably guided therein for vertical movement a carrier 23 which is forked at its upper end to provide arms 24 to which the side rails I9 of the said frame are detachably connected as indicated at 25. The carrier 23 is provided with a rack 26 with which meshes a pinion 21 fixed to a horizontal shaft 28 journaled in the base 22.

, Thus, by rotation of the shaft 28 in one direction the carrier 23, and with it the frame I8, is elevated. On the other hand, due to the weight of "the carrier 23 and the frame I8, said carrier served that the side rails |3 of the carriage l0 5 are provided with recesses opening through their upper edges to accommodate the preferably reduced ends of the rollers 2| and the cross members 20 thereby to permit said rollers 2| to move downwardly below the rollers I5. In view of the foregoing the general mode of operation of the tables B, B will be apparent. Normally the rollers 2| of both tables are disposed below their related rollers l5 and only the latter rollers are effective to support and move the material, the said rollers I5 of both tables B, B rotating in the same direction whereby the material is advanced by the rollers l 5 of the table B at the entrance side of the rolls a and is removed from the rolls by the rollers 5 of the table 0 B at the delivery side of the rolls. Assuming now that it is desired to return a rolled sheet or the like from the table B to the table B to again be passed between the rolls a, the operation consists simply in elevating the frames I8 of the respective tables to dispose the rollers 2| of the tables suitably above the rollers IS. The sheet or the like thus is picked up and elevated by the rollers 2| and, due to the direction of rotation of the rollers 2| being counter to the the rolls a onto the rollers 2| of the table B, and

when this occurs the frames I8 of the respective tables are lowered to deposit the sheet on the rollers l5 of the table B whereby the sheet again is advanced by the latter rollers to and between the rolls a. In this connection, different types of 40 mills may require different amounts of elevation of the rollers 2|, but the present manner of mounting the rollers 2| obviously provides for obtaining any desired amount of elevation of said rollers within practicable limits. 5

Side guards 29 are provided to guide the sheets or the like in their movement over the tables, and in this connection a feature of the invention resides in so mounting said side guards that they not only are adjustable to accommodate therebetween sheets or the like of different widths, but are effective to guide the sheets whether the same are resting on the rollers |5 or on the elevated rollers 2|.

The side guards 29 are in the form of longitudinally extending plates disposed, one at each side of the frame l8 and mounted, respectively, on the inner ends 30 of levers 3| which are pivoted intermediately in brackets 32 carried by the side rails I9 of said frame l8. The other or outer ends 33 of said levers extend downwardly and outwardly and are connected together by a link or rod 34. Thus, by longitudinal movement of the respective rods 34 the levers 3| are swingable in unison to move the guard plates either inwardly or outwardly. In this connection any suitable means may be provided to hold the plates in a desired adjusted position, such means being illustrated in the present instance as comalinement with any one of a number of openings in the link or rod for the reception of a suitable pin or keeper 36.

Special and novel means are provided for elevating and permitting lowering of the frames l8 of the tables B, B in unison. On corresponding ends of the shafts 28 are fixed bevel gears 31 which mesh with similar gears 38 fixed on a shaft 39, the pairs of gears 31, 38 being disposed preferably within suitable housings 49 in which the shaft 39 is journaled. Alined with the shaft 39 is a shaft 4| having fixed thereto a Worm wheel 42 with which meshes a worm 43 on the shaft of a driving motor 44. ends of the shafts 39 and 4| have fixed thereto bevel gears 45 and 46, respectively, which mesh with other bevel gears 41 journaled in a housing 48 mounted for rotation about the common axis of the shafts 39, 4|. The gears 45, 46 and 41, together with the housing 48, obviously constitute a differential gear connection between the shafts 39, 4| operable either to transmit power from the shaft 4| to the shaft 39 for the purpose of rotating the shafts 28 to raise the frames ill, or to permit the shafts 28, 39 to rotate under the influence of the weight of the frames l8 and their carriers 23, thereby to permit said frames and carriers to gravitate to their lowermost positions with the rollers 2| disposed below the rollers l5 while the motor 44 continues to operate and drives the shaft 4| in a single direction. In other words, assuming continuous rotation of the motor and consequent continuous rotation of the shaft 4|, it is manifest that if the differential gear housing 48 is held against rotation the gear 46 will drive the gears 41 and the latter gears will drive the gear 45, thereby imparting rotation to the shaft 39 and the shafts 28. In this connection it is understood, of course, that the direction of rotation of the motor 44 is such as to rotate the shafts 28 in a direction to elevate the frames 8. Now, on the other hand, when the gear housing 48 is not held against rotation, it

is apparent that the gears 41 may rotate with the housing about the gear 45 without imparting motion to the shaft 39, and this being true it follows that when the frames are in an elevated position and the housing 48 is not held against rotation the shaft 39 is free to turn to permit the frames to gravitate to their lowermost positions, despite continued rotation of the shaft 4| by the motor.

A practical means of releasably holding the gear housing 48 against rotation is illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 6 of the drawings and comprises a pair of arms 49 pivoted to a suitable fixed support 50 for swinging movement towards and away from the housing and carrying brake elements 5| for engagement with the housing. A bell-crank lever 52 is pivoted to the free end of one of the arms 49 and is connected at one end to the free end of the other of the arms 49 by a link 53 and at its other end is connected by a link 54 with an intermediate portion of a pivoted lever 55 having connected therewith a solenoid core 56 operating within a solenoid winding 51. The lever 55 is weighted and is so disposed as to normally operate through its connection. with the arms 49 to urge them inwardly to braking positions relative to the housing 48. On the other hand, the solenoid comprising the core 56 and the winding 51 is so disposed as to swing the lever 55 in a direction to move the arms outwardly into non-braking relationship to the housing 48 when the winding 51 is energized. As illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings, a foot Adjacent operable switch 58 may be provided in the solenoid circuit for opening and closing the circuit to respectively release and hold the housing 48. Because of this arrangement it is believed to be clear that simply by opening the solenoid circuit 5 the frames |8 will be elevated and by closing said circuit the frames are permitted to gravitate to their lowered positions, while the motor 44 continues to operate in a single direction. Thus,

provision obviously is made for quickly returning 10 i any sheet or the like from the table B to the table B for re-entry between the rolls a without reversing the direction of rotation of any of the rollers I5 or 2|.

As aforesaid, the rollers I5 and 2| preferably 5-" are driven by individual electric motors, and in this connection, in order to provide current of desired frequency for operating said motors, a generator 59 preferably is belted or otherwise suitably connected with the motor 44 to be driven 0 3 vided to cushion the carriers 23 for the frames I8 at the ends of the up and down movements of said carriers.

Due to the detachable connections 25 between the frames 8 and their carriers 23 said frames may at any time be disconnected from said carriers to be deposited on the carriage H) for transportation by the latter along the track rails 2 either to clear the mill or for any other desired purpose.

While rollers preferably are employed as sup- ,5 porting and conveying means for the sheets or the like the use of rollers for this purpose obviously is not essential. On the contrary, any equivalents of the rollers l5 and 2| may be employed in lieu thereof. For example, referring 40 particularly to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings, it will be observed that the supporting and con-' veying means for the material may comprise endless chains 6| operating over sprocket wheels 62 at'the ends of the carriage l0 and the frame 45 I8, respectively. For driving the chains the sprocket wheels at one end of both the carriage l0 and the frame |8 may be carried by a hollow member 63 equipped in the same manner as the rollers |5 and 2| with a motor for rotating the 50 same.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention will be readily under- 55 stood. It is desired to point out, however, that while specific structural embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, the invention nevertheless is readily capable of embodiment in various other mechanical structures 60 within the spirit and the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A table for rolling mills comprising a constantly horizontally disposed material supporting 65 and conveying element, means for driving said element continuously in a single direction, a second constantly horizontally disposed material supporting and conveying element mounted for vertical movement above and below the first men- 70 tioned conveyor element and disposed so that when elevated it is effective to lift material off the first mentioned conveyor element, means for driving said second mentioned conveyor element continuously in a direction opposite to the first 75 mentioned conveyor element, power means ro-- tating continuously in a single direction tor elevating said second mentioned conveyor element from a position below to a position above the 3 first mentioned conveyor element, and; a connection between said power means and said secondmentioned conveyor whereby during continued rotations of said power means said-conveyorelement may be permitted to gravitate to a position fbelow said first mentioned conveyor element.

2. In a rolling mill, in combination with mill rolls, separate tables at the entering endtne delivery sides of the rolls, each table being inclusive of two interdigital material supportingand conveying elements, means for moving the con- 20 the other whereby either element may be caused to constitute the effective material supporting and conveying element, a single continuously operating motor, and a comiection between said motor and the vertically movable elements of both i 25 tables including means whereby the motor may be made effective to elevate said vertically movable elements in unison and whereby said ver-- tically movable elements may be'lowered while: the motor continues to operate in a single direction. I i i g V J 3. In a rolling mill, in combination with mill rolls,'separate tables at'the entering and the delivery sides of the rolls, each table being inclusive of two interdi'gital material supporting and con veying elements, means for driving the conveying elements 'oieach table continuously in opposite directions, respectively; to convey the materialin tically movable elements in unison and whereby said vertically movable elements may be lowered while the motor continues to operate in 'a single direction.

ERNEST DREXLER.

motor may be made effective to elevate said ver- 

